History Main / Cancellation

If the series creators decide to end the show, the show ends with a GrandFinale and usually isn't labeled as "canceled". Similarly, if a show runs to its scripted end it isn't labeled "canceled".

There is also "renanceled", a term coined by the ratings watcher TV Grim Reaper, where a show is renewed for what is explicitly its final season.

In almost all cases this means that the show is gone forever. In some lucky cases TheResolutionWillNotBeTelevised, but released on video (or these days, online). In even luckier cases the series will be able to WrapItUp and a miniseries or movie will resolve the story. If you're ''really'' lucky, the show might even be UnCancelled.

NoExamplesPlease If you find a show was cancelled, place the show in ScrewedByTheNetwork!

->''"When it got canceled, I was pissed and wrote a letter on purple lined paper about how pissed I was. I never sent it, because I didn’t know where to send it. I know, it’s all my fault. I bet the executives at Creator/{{ABC}} were like, 'Okay, so we got 20,000 letters to bring back ''I Married Dora'', and if we get just one more, we’ll give the people what they want.' I will never forgive ABC for that."''
-->-- '''[[http://dlisted.com/2014/10/15/elizabeth-pena-has-died-at-the-age-of-55/ Michael K.]]''' on ''I Married Dora'' (1987)

While the FanDumb likes to make proclamations of impending doom on a daily basis, most games that have survived the first year don't particularly have to concern themselves with this, unless it's made public knowledge that the game is ''in'' maintenance mode. To date, only a few catastrophic flops have been canceled since the major boom of the MMO genre[[note]]This is generally less to do with hoping a game catches on, and much more to do with making back development costs. Making an MMO is ''expensive'', and as long as it runs with a reasonably sized group of paying customers, it can at least make the development costs back. An MMO would only be prematurely ''cancelled'' if the costs to maintain it (server maintenance, etc) are greater than the income it generates, and there are a lot of things that can be done to reduce maintenance costs before cancellation becomes the ''best'' option[[/note]].

The death sentence for a television show. Usually due to low UsefulNotes/{{ratings}}, the [[{{Networks}} network]] decides to stop production of a show. Sometimes this also includes ceasing the broadcast of unaired episodes, but some shows are given enough slots to finish their run (''that'' often depends on what time of year the axe falls and what's available to replace it as much as anything else).

-->--'''[[http://dlisted.com/2014/10/15/elizabeth-pena-has-died-at-the-age-of-55/ Michael K.]]''' on ''I Married Dora'' (1987)

In almost all cases this means that the show is gone forever. In some lucky cases TheResolutionWillNotBeTelevised, but released on video (or these days, online). In even luckier cases the series will be able to WrapItUp and a miniseries or movie will resolve the story. Almost unheard of is getting UnCancelled.

One has to note that a show can't merely get good ratings; it has to get good ratings within a clear {{Demographic|s}} that advertisers can target. In this sense, there are many ways a show with good ratings might get canceled anyway. A show with MultipleDemographicAppeal might appear to have strong ratings, but the actual viewership of each demographic is comparatively low. Many networks gear themselves towards specific demographics with advertising prospects to match and a show with most of its viewership from a PeripheryDemographic is considered more trouble than it's worth (the fate of many animated shows tie into this). Lastly, the [[{{Elders}} elderly]] and [[DeepSouth southern]] [[CountryMouse rural]] types are considered audiences that simply cannot be reliably targeted and are usually completely ignored when determining ratings. This is why ''Series/TheBeverlyHillbillies'' was ultimately canceled in spite of being a large ratings draw.

One has to note that a show can't merely get good ratings; it has to get good ratings within a clear {{Demographic|s}} that advertisers can target. In this sense, there are many ways a show with good ratings might get canceled anyway. A show with MultipleDemographicAppeal might appear to have strong ratings, but the actual viewership of each demographic is comparatively low. Many networks gear themselves towards specific demographics with advertising prospects to match and a show with most of its viewership from a PeripheryDemographic is considered more trouble than it's worth (the fate of many animated shows tie into this). Lastly, the elderly and southern rural types are considered audiences that simply cannot be reliably targeted and are usually completely ignored when determining ratings. This is why ''Series/TheBeverlyHillbillies'' was ultimately canceled in spite of being a large ratings draw.

->''"When it got canceled, I was pissed and wrote a letter on purple lined paper about how pissed I was. I never sent it, because I didn’t know where to send it. I know, [[ItsAllMyFault it’s all my fault]]. I bet the executives at Creator/{{ABC}} were like, 'Okay, so we got 20,000 letters to bring back ''I Married Dora'', and if we get just one more, we’ll give the people what they want.' [[ThisIsUnforgivable I will never forgive ABC for that.]]"''

->''"When it got canceled, I was pissed and wrote a letter on purple lined paper about how pissed I was. I never sent it, because I didn’t know where to send it. I know, [[ItsAllMyFault it’s all my fault]]. I bet the executives at {{ABC}} were like, 'Okay, so we got 20,000 letters to bring back ''I Married Dora'', and if we get just one more, we’ll give the people what they want.' [[ThisIsUnforgivable I will never forgive ABC for that.]]"''

The death sentence for a television show. Usually due to low {{ratings}}, the [[{{Networks}} network]] decides to stop production of a show. Sometimes this also includes ceasing the broadcast of unaired episodes, but some shows are given enough slots to finish their run (''that'' often depends on what time of year the axe falls and what's available to replace it as much as anything else).

->''"When it got canceled, I was pissed and wrote a letter on purple lined paper about how pissed I was. I never sent it, because I didn’t know where to send it. I know, [[ItsAllMyFault it’s all my fault]]. I bet the executives at {{ABC}} were like, 'Okay, so we got 20,000 letters to bring back ''I Married Dora'', and if we get just one more, we’ll give the people what they want.' [[ThisIsUnforgivable I will never forgive ABC for that.]]"''\\
--'''[[http://dlisted.com/2014/10/15/elizabeth-pena-has-died-at-the-age-of-55/ Michael K.]]''' on ''I Married Dora'' (1987)

While the FanDumb likes to make proclamations of impending doom on a daily basis, most games that have survived the first year don't particularly have to concern themselves with this, unless it's made public knowledge that the game is ''in'' maintenance mode. To date, only a few catastrophic flops have been canceled since the major boom of the MMO genre.

One has to note that a show can't merely get good ratings; it has to get good ratings within a clear [=demographic=] that advertisers can target. In this sense, there are many ways a show with good ratings might get canceled anyway. A show with MultipleDemographicAppeal might appear to have strong ratings, but the actual viewership of each demographic is comparatively low. Many networks gear themselves towards specific demographics with advertising prospects to match and a show with most of its viewership from a PeripheryDemographic is considered more trouble than it's worth (the fate of many animated shows tie into this). Lastly, the elderly and southern rural types are considered audiences that simply cannot be reliably targeted and are usually completely ignored when determining ratings. This is why ''TheBeverlyHillbillies'' was ultimately canceled in spite of being a large ratings draw.

One has to note that a show can't merely get good ratings; it has to get good ratings within a clear {{demographic}} that advertisers can target. In this sense, there are many ways a show with good ratings might get canceled anyway. A show with MultipleDemographicAppeal might appear to have strong ratings, but the actual viewership of each demographic is comparatively low. Many networks gear themselves towards specific demographics with advertising prospects to match and a show with most of its viewership from a PeripheryDemographic is considered more trouble than it's worth (the fate of many animated shows tie into this). Lastly, the elderly and southern rural types are considered audiences that simply cannot be reliably targeted and are usually completely ignored when determining ratings. This is why ''TheBeverlyHillbillies'' was ultimately canceled in spite of being a large ratings draw.

The death sentence for a television show. Usually due to low {{ratings}}, the [[{{Networks}} network]] decides to stop production of a show. Usually, this also includes ceasing the broadcast of unaired episodes, but some shows are given enough slots to finish their run (''that'' often depends on what time of year the axe falls and what's available to replace it as much as anything else).